What immunisation is required for CCS?

Children must be fully up to date with the National Immunisation Program (NIP) schedule for their age, be on an approved catch-up schedule, or have an approved medical contraindication exemption recorded on the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR).

What happens if my child's immunisation is not up to date?

If a child's immunisation status is not current on the AIR, CCS payments for that child may be suspended or not approved. The childcare provider can still charge fees; the family would pay the full amount without subsidy until the immunisation is updated.

How do I update my child's immunisation records for CCS?

Immunisation records are updated by the vaccination provider (doctor, nurse, or pharmacist) directly to the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR). You can check your child's AIR records via myGov. Services Australia checks AIR automatically — there is no separate form to submit for CCS.

Does a medical exemption satisfy the CCS immunisation requirement?

Yes. An approved medical contraindication exemption recorded on the AIR by a registered medical practitioner will satisfy the CCS immunisation requirement. Conscientious objection is not an accepted exemption for CCS.

Child Care Subsidy and Immunisation: What You Need to Know

6 min read Updated 6 March 2026

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To receive the Child Care Subsidy, your child must meet Australia's immunisation requirements. These rules are part of the federal No Jab, No Pay policy, which ties family assistance payments — including CCS and Family Tax Benefit — to vaccination status.

The good news: a child doesn't need a complete vaccination record before CCS can start. There are three ways to meet the requirement.

Three Ways a Child Can Meet the Requirement

Status	CCS eligible?
Up to date with vaccinations for their age	Yes
On a recognised catch-up vaccination schedule	Yes
Covered by a valid medical exemption	Yes
Not vaccinated, no schedule, no exemption	No

"Up to date" means the child is current according to the National Immunisation Program (NIP) schedule for their age — not that every vaccine across their entire childhood is already done.

How Catch-Up Schedules Work

If your child has missed vaccinations, they can still meet the CCS immunisation requirement by starting a recognised catch-up schedule with a doctor or immunisation provider.

Once the catch-up schedule is recorded in the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR), the child is treated as meeting the requirement — you don't have to wait until every vaccine in the catch-up plan is completed.

If your child is behind on vaccinations, the fastest path to restoring CCS eligibility is to book a GP or immunisation clinic appointment and get the catch-up schedule recorded in the AIR.

Medical Exemptions

Some children cannot receive certain vaccines for medical reasons (for example, a severe allergy to a vaccine component). A doctor can record a medical exemption in the AIR. Once recorded, the child is treated as meeting the immunisation requirements for CCS purposes.

Conscientious objection is not an accepted exemption under current law. Only medical contraindications qualify.

How Services Australia Checks Immunisation Status

When you apply for CCS, Services Australia checks your child's vaccination status directly through the AIR. In most cases you don't need to provide documents — records flow automatically through Medicare.

Problems arise when:

Vaccinations were given overseas and never recorded in Australia
Records weren't linked to Medicare (common after changing doctors or moving clinics)
A catch-up schedule was started but not entered into the AIR

If your child's AIR record is incomplete, your GP or immunisation provider can update it. CCS eligibility resumes from the date the AIR record shows the requirement is met — not backdated further.

Overseas Vaccination Records

If your child received vaccinations overseas, those records aren't automatically transferred to the AIR. A doctor can usually review the overseas vaccination history and update the AIR accordingly. If the vaccines given overseas are equivalent to NIP schedule vaccines, your child can be recognised as up to date once the records are entered.

Bring your overseas vaccination documents to your first GP appointment in Australia.

No Jab, No Pay vs No Jab, No Play

These are two separate policies that are often confused:

No Jab, No Pay — the federal policy that links CCS and FTB payments to immunisation status. This is what this guide covers.

No Jab, No Play — state and territory enrolment rules that may affect whether a child can physically attend a childcare centre or kindergarten. These vary by state and are enforced by the service, not Centrelink.

Meeting the federal No Jab, No Pay requirement doesn't override state No Jab, No Play rules. Your childcare provider may ask for evidence of vaccination regardless of your CCS status.

What Happens If Requirements Aren't Met

If a child's immunisation status doesn't meet the requirement and there's no active catch-up schedule or medical exemption recorded:

CCS cannot be paid for that child
Other children in the family are assessed individually — one child's non-compliance doesn't affect siblings
Eligibility resumes from the date the AIR is updated, not retroactively

The fastest resolution is to see a GP, get the vaccination or catch-up schedule sorted, and ensure the AIR record is updated the same day.

Key Takeaways

Your child must be up to date, on a catch-up schedule, or have a medical exemption for CCS to be paid.
Eligibility is based on the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR) — not your personal records.
A catch-up schedule restores CCS eligibility as soon as it's recorded in the AIR.
Overseas vaccinations need to be entered into the AIR by a GP before they're recognised.
Conscientious objection is not accepted — only medical exemptions qualify.
Each child is assessed individually — one child's status doesn't affect siblings.

FAQ

My child is partially vaccinated — can I still get CCS?

Possibly yes. If your child is considered "up to date for their age" on the NIP schedule, they meet the requirement even if some future vaccines haven't been given yet. If they're behind on age-appropriate vaccines, starting a catch-up schedule will restore eligibility.

How do I check my child's immunisation status?

Log in to myGov and access the Australian Immunisation Register under Medicare. You can view your child's vaccination history and whether they're recorded as meeting the requirements.

My child's vaccinations were done overseas — what do I do?

Take your overseas vaccination records to a GP in Australia. They can assess whether the vaccines match the NIP schedule and update the AIR accordingly. Once the record is entered, Services Australia can assess eligibility from that date.

Can a childcare centre refuse enrolment if my child isn't vaccinated?

Yes, in many states. No Jab, No Play state rules are separate from federal CCS rules and can prevent enrolment altogether. Check the specific rules in your state or territory, as they vary. Your childcare provider can tell you what documentation they require.

Does the immunisation requirement apply to FTB as well?

Yes. The No Jab, No Pay rules apply to both CCS and Family Tax Benefit Part A. If your child doesn't meet immunisation requirements, it can affect FTB Part A payments as well as CCS. Use the FTB calculator to estimate your FTB entitlements once the immunisation requirement is satisfied.

This is general guidance only. Immunisation and family assistance rules can change. Check your child's status in myGov, or contact Services Australia on 136 150 for help with your specific situation.